EMPIRE: Resistance
Page 28
“We’re in private.”
“Yes, Travis.”
Geary laughed and Benton smiled.
They were sitting up on the picnic table at the firepit. They had just had a picnic supper, and were sitting in front of a cheery fire.
“No dessert tonight. That’s surprising. Staff always has dessert at supper.”
That was Ardmore’s cue. He sent a VR message.
“Oh, I don’t think they forgot, Gail.”
A staffer came into the nook carrying a small cake with a short candle on it. They lit it, then disappeared.
“Happy anniversary,” Ardmore said.
Burke checked the calendar in VR.
“It’s not our anniversary.”
“Yes, it is. Six months since the coronation.”
“That’s not an anniversary. It’s only half an anniversary.”
“Well, it’s only half a candle,” Ardmore said.
Burke laughed.
“So it is. My God, did all that happen in just six months?”
“Yep. So let’s have cake.”
Burke blew out the candle, and they cut the little cake in half and split it.
“You know they’re not done with us, right?” Burke asked.
“Oh, yes. I expect they’ll be back. And we’ll be watching for it. I expect them to be smarter next time.”
“And we can’t just execute them?”
“We could. You know how that process works. Is that what you want?”
Burke stared into the fire for several minutes.
“No. Not yet. Maybe they learned a lesson, Jimmy.”
Ardmore snorted.
“The examples in history are not numerous.”
Burke sighed.
“Yeah, I know.”
She was quiet again.
“I still want to have babies, Jimmy.”
“Even knowing they’ll try again?”
“Yes. If we waited for the world to calm down we’d never have children. Emperor Trajan and Empress Amanda had babies while they were gearing up for war.”
“That’s true enough.”
“So we’re going to have babies, Jimmy?”
“Yes, Gail. We’ll have babies.”
“I love you, Jimmy.”
“I love you, too, Gail.”
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